For others, it can stay where it’s at — on the other side of the door. There are those who like to camp out under the stars and roast marshmallows, while others prefer to stay in a cabin with amenities such as running water.

If you are not sure about camping, try it out in or around your home. This way you can set up a tent in your backyard and hang out for a couple of hours. You could roast marshmallows either on an outdoor stove or use the fireplace inside. And if you don’t want the bugs sharing your sleeping bag, you can always head back into the house and sneak into your own bed.

From primitive camping to staying in a bed and breakfast in the middle of a state park, everyone can find his or her inner camper. Here’s a guide to what type of camping can be done in the midstate on a scale of one to five stars, five being the most luxurious camping.

TENT (1 star): This is for those who want to be one with nature. A sleeping bag and basic survival gear are the only things needed for primitive camping. Though it is strongly encouraged for seasoned campers and hikers, it might also be a good experience for those looking for the next level of camping.

COTTAGE (2 stars): A camping cottage is a step up from a tent because it’s putting the tent up on a board of wood. A cottage can house four to five people and has electricity. There are bathrooms and showers nearby. Usually there is running water somewhere on-site, but not necessarily flushing toilets.

The Pennsylvania State Park system offers a weekend of camping for $20. The camping supply store Gander Mountain will provide the equipment, along with a checklist of what to bring. A park ranger will help first-timers. The ranger will help set up the campsite and talk about what to do during the weekend stay. At the end of the weekend, campers can give the equipment back. But if they like it enough, Gander Mountain offers discounts on it.

Typically the cottages are near hiking trails and lakes or streams where you can fish or swim. So figure out what you will be doing while you are camping, said Jason Hall, recreation program specialist for the state forests.

CABIN (3 stars): Cabin camping lets you get off the ground and into a bunk bed. There are three types of cabin camping in the midstate: yurts, rustic cabins and modern cabins. Yurts are like Mongolian tents — enclosed and round. They can hold up to five people and have amenities such as a refrigerator and an electric stove. Rustic cabins offer much of the same, with the addition of a fireplace or wood stove for heat.

Modern cabins offer the works, including indoor plumbing, heat, electricity and even carpeted floors. They also have separate areas for bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and a living room.

RV (4 stars): RV camping is between camping at a cabin and staying at a bed and breakfast. With RV camping, you have hook-ups to water and electricity to run air conditioning and sometimes sewage.

When you go RV camping, you can either rough it by carrying buckets of water and making your own food, to going into a restaurant that is on-site for your meals. Depending on the campsite, there might be other activities to do with your family besides hiking, fishing and swimming.

Most campgrounds have mini golf. Some also have outdoor concerts in the summer. Amusement parks such as Knoebels in Catawissa offer RV parking for those who want to stay overnight.

The biggest infraction of RV camping is not getting a permit to stay on state forest or state park land, Hall said.

Bed and breakfast (5 stars): The new luxurious trend in camping is building inns in state parks. Just check out the Nature Inn at Bald Eagle State Park in Centre County. Guests can enjoy all aspects of camping, such as hiking and bird watching, and then return to a cool room and a comfortable bed to stretch out. Innkeeper Charlie Brooks said many of his guests are older people who might not want to camp in a tent and families with young children who are not ready to stay outdoors 24 hours.

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